Chapter 4

POV: Rose

I stirred from my slumber, feeling oddly comfortable. I had pain in my head, and I couldn't get my thoughts together. When I opened my eyes, my vision was blurred and I had a burning craving within me for a cigarette.

I patted down my pockets but came up empty handed. Adrian, that bastard must have taken them for himself after he touched me and knocked me out again. I sat up and suddenly realised that I was not on the old rotting wooden floor of my bedroom, but in a soft, plush bed.

There was not one comfortable bed in that house. I would know; I'd been in them all.

I rubbed my stinging eyes and winced in pain. I tenderly touched my left eye, feeling swelling already emerging from yesterday's beating.

Where the hell was I?

Maybe I was so high last night that I didn't remember booking a client. But I didn't recognise this bedroom...

Just then the door opened, and a vaguely familiar man walked in. He had been tiptoeing, as though not wanting to wake me. I tried to figure out how I knew this man. My mind recalled some fuzzy memories of a bar.

That's when I remembered.

"You!" I gasped. "You're the guy from the bar!"

He gave me a small smile. "Yeah, I-"

"That's why you tried to save me!" I yelled. I was starting to feel sick. I reallyneeded that cigarette. Maybe something stronger.

"I-What?" This man looked confused.

"Can we just get this over with?"

"I really have no idea what you mean," he replied. Looking into his face, he seemed the picture of sincerity…but I knew all about masks and how people would lie through their teeth to get what they wanted.

"Just fuck me and pay me so that I can get home."

His expression turned to shock.

"No, that's not what I-"

"Just do it already!" I screamed at him. I was getting frustrated; I really needed my fix.

"Rose, that's not why-"

"How do you know my name?" I demanded angrily.

He blinked at me.

"You told me."

"I did?"

"Yes." He was answering me calmly, but I could see the shock at my outburst on his face.

We were silent for a minute. Then he walked towards me. I couldn't help myself; I flinched and waited for it to begin.

But it didn't.

Instead, his fingers gently lifted my face. He waited until I re-opened my eyes to speak.

"I'm not going to hurt you," he said softly. "I promise." I looked at him, not daring to believe those honest eyes of his. Adrian used to say things like that to me…and then he began to beat me.

"Rose…believe me, I didn't break you out of that house just to have my way with you."

"You broke me out?" I exclaimed. "No, no, no, I have to go back," I pulled the covers off myself and jumped out of bed. The man jumped up to stop me.

"Please let me go…" I begged.

"No, Rose, I want to help you," Dimitri said, looking as desperate as I was feeling.

"You can't…" I felt tears threaten to spill. "I have to go back, before he notices I'm gone!"

"Why?"

"Because he'll kill me…" I said, my voice finally breaking and the tears successfully spilling out and running down my cheeks. The man didn't say anything else. He did, however, pull me into a hug. I froze, unsure of how to react.

A hug.

It was such a simple gesture – one a family or friends exchanged so frequently with each other.

But I had no family. I had no friends. I received no hugs.

They felt…nice.

So I let this stranger hug me, and I eventually hugged him back.

"Don't worry, Rose," he whispered softly into my hair. "I'm going to look after you, ok? I promise."

"Can I ask you something?" I said finally, my voice muffled.

"Of course," he answered, leaning back to look at me.

"What's your name again?"

He smiled and gave a small chuckle.

"It's Dimitri. Dimitri Belikov."